Showing Trust

Writers: Devin, Suzee
Date Posted: 23rd March 2014

Characters: Cyradis, N'vanik
Description: N'vanik and Cyradis have a conversation after Jenackt leaves.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 1 of Turn 7
Notes: Follows "Who Are You Really?"
Mentioned: Jenackt, Qorri

Cyradis

N'vanik

After Jenackt left the council room, N'vanik turned to her. "Mark my
words, that boy is Impressing bronze."

She smiled and nodded. "Well certainly not green or blue."

He gave an amused snort. "Thanks for supporting me. And him."

"Sure," she said. "He's got something, I'm not sure what... but
something." Then she shook her head and sighed. "I _am_ sorry about
Qorri though." It wasn't just the additional work but she knew they'd
been friends a long time.

"If that's how she's going to act, then _good riddance_," he growled.
If Qorri mistrusted his judgment so much that she couldn't talk to him
rationally when she had a problem, then she really hadn't been much of
a friend. It felt like betrayal and it twisted in his gut.

"Well, I still don't understand it. And... I don't think I really
understand you either. Do you want to tell my why this kid seems to
mean so much to you?"

For a long moment he considered telling her the truth. He'd told
Janani in a moment of impulsive honesty and she'd taken it well. As
far as he knew she never told anyone else. Cyradis was now carrying
Jenackt's secret... "I'm trying to decide if I can trust you. It's not
an easy thing for me."

She didn't take his statement as an insult. After all they'd just
stepped past a barrier in their relationship as Weyleaders. She hoped
they could take more steps toward true partners rather than the
antagonists they had been since she'd come to Dolphin Cove. "I
understand," she said. "Or at least I think I do."

She'd taken his side without knowing his reasons. She supported
Jenackt even after his confession. N'vanik glanced at her and then
fixed his eyes on the far wall without seeing it. "The official story
is that I was Searched from a caravan, but I didn't actually belong to
the caravan."

Cyradis wasn't slow and made some connections immediately. "Was your
situations similar to Jenackts?"

He'd already started, he might as well keep going. "I wasn't ... out
as long as he was. Just three turns or so. I ran away from the Hold
because..." N'vanik's throat closed up for a moment and he almost lost
courage. "My father beat me. We've got that in common, too."

"Three turns," she breathed. "I couldn't survive that long." She knew
he didn't need her sympathy, he was passed all that now but her face
clearly reflected it. "I'm sorry for that N'vanik." She wanted to
reach out and touch his arm but she didn't know if they were to that
point yet. "Where did the searchers find you?"

"They really did find me in a caravan. I slipped in with the other
kids when they gathered for the Search dragon. I thought life as a
rider would be easy." He laughed. It might have been, if Thread hadn't
returned.

"How old were you?" The way he said that he slipped in with other kids
told her he had to have been young.

"Seventeen."

"Ohhh," she breathed. The connection between what his life must have
been and Jenackts was obvious now and she understood more clearly why
he'd defend the boy even in the thread of losing their Headwoman. She
smiled at him then probably completely at ease for the first time
since they'd met. "Back then, did you expect to ever be a dragonrider,
let alone a Weyrleader?"

He shook his head. "That Searchrider was the first person that ever
told me I might be worth something." Except maybe his mother, who he
hardly remembered. She'd been kind, he knew that much.

She nodded after a moment. "Then I'm glad you've taken him under your
wing and I hope he turns out as well as you did."

"Thank you, again. It means a lot to me." Maybe Cyradis could be a
true partner in leading the Weyr, with no jealousy to muddy things up.

She smiled. "And thank you for trusting me. I think I understand why
it's difficult for you." She took a deep breath as her mind whirled
with the monumental task before her. But with Saibra in place leading
the wing she had more time then usual to work through the issues
Qorri's exit would inevitably create.

"Well," she said standing and patting him on the shoulder. "I'm sure
you have charts to work on and I've got to pull someone up from the
lower caverns to get tomorrow handled. Any suggestions for the
short-term?"

He sighed. He hadn't meant to put her in this situation. "Maybe split
the work between her two most senior assistants?"

"Good Idea. At least while we put feelers out." She didn't think any
of the staff were really up to the task at the moment, though one
never knew until they surprised you.

Last updated on the March 25th 2014

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Showing Trust